Liffey Energy plans solar farm project for Ballyjamesduff

Plans for a major new solar farm have been lodged with Cavan County Council.

Liffey Energy Limited, part of the Liffey Meats family of companies, has applied for the development next to the meat plant outside Ballyjamesduff.

It’s hoped the solar farm will help to “substantially and significantly reduce” the factory’s reliance on electricity generated using fossil fuels. The company aims to combine this development with the existing wind turbine generation system at the site, along with the proposed battery storage system.

Cavan County Council is yet to make a decision on the latter development.

The development totals 5.9 hectares at the site in the Cloggagh area of Ballyjamesduff. It’s expected to generate four megawatts, according to a report compiled by Galetech Energy Services on behalf of the applicant.

Liffey Energy Limited says, if approved, the development will help the processing plant become “substantially self-sufficient in terms of electricity production and would provide energy security for the plant into the future”.

Planning permission of 10 years is being applied for, and the system itself would have an overall lifespan of 35 years. Further planning applications would be required once the 10 year period has elapsed.

A glint and glare assessment was also submitted with the application to determine the potential for reflection of the sun’s rays off the solar panels. Panels would be south facing on the site, with a tilt of between 15 and 25 degrees.

The panels were deemed to be “theoretically visible” from 13 dwellings and 17 points on public roads within 1km of the planned site. The glint and glare assessment found five dwellings and 13 points on public roads had “the potential to receive glare”.

However, a further assessment found “none were determined as having the potential to be affected by glint and glare from the proposed development”.

A landscape and visual impact assessment notes the site is relatively low lying with little potential for views of it from surrounding areas.

The report also found the development would have “only a minor physical impact” on the site as it would not require significant excavation works and equipment would be removed following decommissioning of the panels. The land would then be returned to agricultural use.

Construction works for the development would utilise the existing Liffey Meats road entrance, with around 400m of access tracks through the site. Security fencing and CCTV systems would also be erected. Associated works, including collector units and inverters are also planned.

Cavan County Council is due to make a decision on the plans by the end of October.